OLYMPIC eventer Vittoria Panizzon has had her four-year ban and fine for a missed human dope test overturned after fighting a gruelling legal battle.

The Italian rider was suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping organisation (NADO) last year as she was deemed to have failed to comply with the World Anti-Doping Association’s (WADA) athlete whereabouts scheme by avoiding testing.

Panizzon’s national suspension was mirrored by the FEI meaning she missed an entire season, including the Paris Olympics. She was also unable to coach riders for affiliated competition.

Panizzon argued she had updated her whereabouts on the system as required when she went on holiday after the 2023 eventing season had finished. She said she was at a rural property with poor phone signal and, when the NADO tester arrived at 5am and in the dark, and due to a complicated gate system, she and the inspector could not find each other.

Panizzon appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which this week annulled the ban and €3,000 fine.

In a statement, Vittoria said: “I am thrilled, relieved and so, so grateful to everyone for the support I have had from my owners, sponsors, the [Italian air force], friends, staff and the wider horse sport community, but I am also exhausted, frustrated and disheartened.”

She pointed out that she has an unblemished record for all her time as a competitor, has never smoked, does not drink and rarely takes any medication. Despite this, she was “left to find my own way through a confusing and unfriendly process”.

She pointed out that the athlete whereabouts scheme covers all sports, so does not suit riders who are often competing in a field, or riding a horse, in the middle of nowhere with no internet or phone signal. To comply with the whereabouts scheme, athletes have to keep the system updated at all times.

Legal costs

Panizzon had to pay her own legal costs of about £70,000. She said her CAS appeal would not have been heard had she not paid her own costs in advance and those of the prosecution. She will get her fine back, and should recoup the court costs of about £20,000 but she cannot claim back what she had to pay lawyers.

“I have had to borrow from my family and, without their support, I would not have been able to clear my name,” she said. “It can’t be justice that I would still be banned if I hadn’t been able to find the money.”

Vittoria said she is hugely grateful to her mother, who “encouraged me to keep fighting when I was just exhausted, and would have given up, even though that wasn’t the right thing to do”. She also thanked the people from all walks of life who supported her; close connections and many others, including the Italian air force, who stood by her throughout, and Irish rider Susie Berry, who has been competing Vittoria’s top horse DHI Jackpot, and been “incredibly understanding”.

“I am just so grateful to Susie for her understanding and support of my situation, which has meant we are both basically in full swing. But mentally it’s a huge challenge when on April 28th I had my fingers crossed that I had a future in the sport, but had no idea when I would know, and on 29th April I am wondering which ballot dates I have missed.”

She added: “Pleased as I am to be able to take part in the sport that I love with my head held high, at the end of the day I have lost a whole year of my competition life and I will never be able to get that time back.”